On regular commercial flights, for now pet dogs and cats can only fly in the hold of airplanes in Australia, generally as cargo. This means that you need to make a booking with the freight division of the airline (or a pet transport company) and drop them off at the cargo terminal.
You can't buy an extra seat for your dog unless you're flying JSX or JetBlue Airways. Generally speaking, traveling with a dog as a "carry-on luggage" item usually incurs a lower fee than if it travels in the belly of the plane as cargo. And by the way, a pet in its carrier counts as your carry-on bag.
Note: only service dogs can be carried in the passenger cabin of the aircraft. All other animals and pets travel in a special area in the hold of a passenger aircraft where the temperature and noise are similar to those experienced in the cabin.
Domestic Pet Friendly Airlines
Qantas and Virgin allow pets to fly in their cargo area. REX allows pets as checked baggage on some flights. Jetstar doesn't allow pets at all. If you want to fly with your dog or other pet in the cabin with you in Australia, you're out of luck.
Unfortunately most airlines will not allow you to buy a seat for your dog on a plane. This is because most public airlines require dogs to travel in a carrier stowed away in the seat in front of you. This is why, usually, only very small and light dogs are permitted to fly in cabin.
If your dog or cat won't fit in a carrier under the seat, you have to check the animal as baggage (when that's allowed) or ship it as cargo.
In general, if your pet carrier (with your pet inside) can fit under the seat in front of you, your dog can ride in the cabin on flights that permit it. Typically, this would be a dog weighing up to about 20 pounds. Check with your airline to confirm specific requirements.
Many airlines allow pets to fly in the cabin as a carry-on, so long as they stay inside a carrier that's small enough to fit under the seat in front of you for the duration of the flight. Southwest, Alaska, United, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Spirit, and Frontier are some of the airlines that allow pets as carry-ons.
Generally, airlines charge a pet fee of $100 to $200 each way, but prices will vary depending on where you're traveling and your airline. Check the airline's pet policy before purchasing a ticket to make sure your pet meets the airline's breed and size requirements.
How much is interstate pet transportin Australia? The cost can range from $100 to $600, depending on the size of the animal and the distance of the flight.
To give you a ballpark figure; say, if you're having air transport arranged for your dog from Perth to Melbourne and it weighs 30 kilograms (including the crate or pet container), the cost could be somewhere around $900 to $1,500.
On-board: On the plane, your small pet dog must remain in the carrier at all times. You cannot remove the animal from the carrier while on the plane. The carrier containing your dog can only go completely under the seat in front of you. Carriers cannot be stored on your lap, in an overhead bin or anywhere else.
You will NOT be allowed to sit in an exit row. If you are in First Class, or if you get a bulkhead seat, it's best to sit next to the window. If you are in any other section, it's best to get a middle seat.
Is it possible to fly with a large dog in a cabin? The short answer here is no, you cannot fly with your large dog in the cabin during your flight. Most airlines have a requirement that to travel in the cabin, dogs must be able to fit inside a carrier that is stored underneath a plane seat.
Several airlines do accept large dogs by storing them in the plane's cargo. The hold is temperature-controlled and pressurized, so it is a humane way to transport them. For most airlines, pets weighing 17 pounds or more qualify as large and must travel in the hold.
Flying is an incredibly stressful experience for all dogs, but it can be especially upsetting for elderly dogs, as well as pups with health or behavioral challenges.
While there are no weight or breed limitations for pets, they must travel in either a hard-sided or soft-sided carrier. This carrier must fit under the seat in front of you or you cannot fly with your pet. There can only be one pet per carrier, and they must be able to stand up and turn around while inside.
Contact the Air Cargo department (not Reservation Department) of the airline you have chosen, and make a reservation for your pet's travel. You will be charged based upon the combined weight of the pet and the kennel.
Flying with a large dog in the cabin is currently not allowed by any airline, for obvious reasons. Dogs are only allowed to travel with you as carry-on luggage if they weigh not more than 20lbs. And still, they have to be carried inside an airline-approved carrier that fits under the seat.
American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bull Mastiff, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, Dutch Pug, English Bulldog, English Toy Spaniel, French Bulldog, Japanese Boxer, Japanese Pug, Japanese Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
In July 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation released statistics that showed short-nosed breeds of dogs—such as pugs, Boston Terriers, boxers, some mastiffs, Pekingese, Lhasa Apsos, Shih tzus and bulldogs—are more likely to die on airplanes than dogs with normal-length muzzles.
When flying in the cabin, the maximum weight of a pet must not exceed 8kg, but combined wth their carrier they can weight 10kg. Only dogs and cats are permitted on long-haul flights and pets must be at least 3 months old on medium- and long-haul flights.
In order to bring your dog on a plane, you'll need to secure them in an airplane-friendly pet carrier that can fit underneath the seat in front of you. Keep in mind that this carrier will need to go through security at the airport, so you should be able to easily get your dog in and out of the carrier as needed.
For travelers bringing their pets in the cabin, she said, book a window seat, as the pets will be farther from commotion in the aisle. Those seats also may have more space underneath. Thompson said most airlines only allow dogs and cats in the cabin, though some allow birds.